Lidge to 97.3 ESPN FM: “My Heart is Still Here”

Washington Nationals reliever Brad Lidge joined “The Sports Bash with Mike Gill” on 97.3 ESPN FM on Tuesday. Lidge was very candid about the Phillies not wanting him back and the team’s signing of Jonathan Papelbon over friend Ryan Madson.

“I came back to the Phillies and I said, ‘Let’s talk. My heart’s still here,” said Lidge. “It never left. Let’s see what we can do.’ Unfortunately, at that time, they had changed their mind and didn’t have a contract for me.”

Obviously, the Phillies went in another direction, going after guys like Chad Qualls and Dontrelle Willis. Lidge understood the changes. “Yeah, it’s disappointing. I’m not crying about it or nothing. I understand it’s all business and that’s part of it. But it was disappointing and unfortunate because, of course, I did want to come back to Philadelphia.”